Mosport/Detroit: Audi preview

Audi close in on title in America
American Le Mans Series with two races in seven days
Audi Sport North
America with TDI Power on course for title "Home race" for Audi in
Detroit The final sprint in the American Le Mans Series starts with ...

Audi close in on title in America
American Le Mans Series with two races in seven days

Audi Sport North
America with TDI Power on course for title "Home race" for Audi in
Detroit The final sprint in the American Le Mans Series starts with two
races within one week. On Sunday (26 August), the world's fastest
sportscars start at Mosport close to Toronto (Canada). 'Motor Town'
Detroit (Michigan state) hosts the popular sportscar racing series the
following Saturday.

Audi has excellent chances of clinching the Manufacturers' and Teams'
titles early at either Mosport or Detroit. The Audi R10 TDI, which
produces almost 650 hp, is still unbeaten in its class and, with eight
wins and seven second-places this year, the most successful car in the
American Le Mans Series, followed by the Chevrolet Corvette (eight wins,
six second-places) and the Porsche RS Spyder (seven wins, six
second-places). For Audi, it would be the eighth successive title in
America and the second with TDI Power.

In the Drivers' Championship, Dindo Capello and Allan McNish hold a 22
point lead over team-mates Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner with four
races to go. All four Audi drivers are looking forward to both the
Canadian 'away' race in the American Le Mans Series and the 'home'
race in Detroit.

Audi of America has its headquarters in Auburn Hills approximately 30
miles from the circuit, which is situated on an island in the Detroit
River. The "Belle Isle Detroit Grand Prix" was last held in 2001 and now
brings motorsport back to the heart of the American metropolis. Detroit
is the fourth street circuit for the Audi R10 TDI after St. Petersburg,
Long Beach and Houston.

Quotes before the next two races

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "Mosport and Detroit are
again two circuits on which the LM P2 cars will be at an advantage as a
result of their lower weight -- at least this is what our computer
simulations indicate. However, we want not settle for class wins and aim
to put a stop to the LM P2 cars winning streak. The race in Detroit will
be special for Audi: For the first time we compete on the doorstep of
Audi of America."

Dindo Capello (Audi R10 TDI #1): "Mosport is a beautiful and very fast
circuit. Unfortunately, there isn't such a long straight as there was at
Road America where we were able to make up a lot of time on the lighter
LM P2 cars. It's difficult to say anything about Detroit. The circuit
layout looks good. However, street circuits with a concrete slab surface
are not exactly ideal for our Audi R10 TDI. But the conditions were
similar in Houston where we had the speed to win the race. So, I hope
that things well be the same in Detroit."

Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI #1): "The circuits at Mosport and in Detroit
could hardly be more different: Mosport with its fluid track layout is
extremely fast, Detroit a classic tight and slow street circuit. Dindo
(Capello) and I have great memories of Mosport. We won an incredibly
exciting race there in 2000 -- it was the closest finish in American Le
Mans Series history. At Mosport last year we won the title with two
rounds to spare. I visited the track in Detroit just before travelling on
to Road America a few weeks ago. One thing is certain: The spectators can
look forward to a spectacular race."

Emanuele Pirro (Audi R10 TDI #2): "The Mosport circuit and its array of
extremely fast corners is a big challenge which, as a driver, I am really
looking forward to. It's fantastic to drive, particularly with our R10
TDI which generates lots of downforce and is therefore very good in the
fast corners. Detroit is a new circuit for us. It's almost a home race
because Audi of America is based in Detroit. In spite of the handicaps
our car has, we will do everything possible to put in a strong
performance there."

Marco Werner (Audi R10 TDI #2): "I'll be driving the R10 TDI for the
first time in Mosport. I'm looking forward to it because the circuit is
interesting. There are plenty of fast sections which suit our car. There
are, however, two or three very slow corners in which the LM P2 cars have
an advantage. Detroit is something totally new and, on top of this, a
street circuit of the type I really like. The R10 TDI performed much
better on the previous street circuits than we'd expected. I hope that
this is also the case in Detroit."

Dave Maraj (Team Director Audi Sport North America): "Both the entire
team and Audi Sport are working extremely hard to better compensate for
the handicaps we have compared to the LM P2 Sportscars. In addition, we
must also see that we don't lose so much time when refuelling. We are
looking at ways to change this. We'd particularly like to beat the
Penske-Porsche in Detroit -- after all, the race is organised by Penske."